## Rosh Hashanah Daf 31b

###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:1
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:1](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:1)

וּמִיַּבְנֶה לְאוּשָׁא, וּמֵאוּשָׁא לְיַבְנֶה, וּמִיַּבְנֶה לְאוּשָׁא, וּמֵאוּשָׁא לִשְׁפַרְעָם, וּמִשְּׁפַרְעָם לְבֵית שְׁעָרִים, וּמִבֵּית שְׁעָרִים לְצִפּוֹרִי, וּמִצִּפּוֹרִי לִטְבֶרְיָא. וּטְבֶרְיָא עֲמוּקָּה מִכּוּלָּן, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״וְשָׁפַלְתְּ מֵאֶרֶץ תְּדַבֵּרִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**and from Yavne to Usha; and from Usha** it returned **to Yavne; and from Yavne** it went back **to Usha; and from Usha to Shefaram; and from Shefaram to Beit She’arim; and from Beit She’arim to Tzippori; and from Tzippori to Tiberias. And Tiberias is lower than all of them,** as it is in the Jordan Valley. A verse alludes to these movements, **as it is stated: “And brought down, you shall speak out of the ground”** (Isaiah 29:4).


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:2
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:2](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:2)

רַבִּי אֶלְעָזָר אוֹמֵר: שֵׁשׁ גָּלוּת, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״כִּי הֵשַׁח יוֹשְׁבֵי מָרוֹם קִרְיָה נִשְׂגָּבָה יַשְׁפִּילֶנָּה יַשְׁפִּילָהּ עַד אֶרֶץ יַגִּיעֶנָּה עַד עָפָר״. אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: וּמִשָּׁם עֲתִידִין לִיגָּאֵל, שֶׁנֶּאֱמַר: ״הִתְנַעֲרִי מֵעָפָר קוּמִי שְּׁבִי״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rabbi Elazar says:** There are **six exiles,** if you count only the places, not the number of journeys, and a different verse alludes to this, **as it is stated: “For He has brought down those who dwell high, the lofty city laying it low, laying it low, to the ground, bringing it to the dust”** (Isaiah 26:5). This verse mentions six expressions of lowering: Brought down, laying it low, laying it low, to the ground, bringing it, and to the dust. **Rabbi Yoḥanan said: And from there,** i.e., from their lowest place of descent, **they are destined to be redeemed** in the future, **as it is stated: “Shake yourself from the dust, arise, sit,** Jerusalem” (Isaiah 52:2).


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:3
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:3](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:3)

**מַתְנִי׳** אָמַר רַבִּי יְהוֹשֻׁעַ בֶּן קׇרְחָה: וְעוֹד זֹאת הִתְקִין רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, שֶׁאֲפִילּוּ רֹאשׁ בֵּית דִּין בְּכׇל מָקוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ הָעֵדִים הוֹלְכִין אֶלָּא לִמְקוֹם הַוַּעַד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**MISHNA:** **Rabbi Yehoshua ben Korḥa said: And this, too, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted, that even** if **the head of the court** of seventy-one **is in any** other **place,** not where the Great Sanhedrin is in session, **the witnesses should** nevertheless **go only to the place** where the Great Sanhedrin **gathers** to deliver testimony to determine the start of the month. Although the date of the month is dependent on the head of the Great Sanhedrin, as it is he who declares that the month is sanctified (see 24a), nevertheless, Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted that the members of the Great Sanhedrin may sanctify the month in the absence of the head of the court.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:4
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:4](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:4)

**גְּמָ׳** הַהִיא אִיתְּתָא דְּאַזְמְנוּהָ לְדִינָא קַמֵּיהּ דְּאַמֵּימָר בִּנְהַרְדְּעָא. אֲזַל אַמֵּימָר לְמָחוֹזָא, וְלָא אֲזַלָה בָּתְרֵיהּ. כְּתַב פְּתִיחָא עִילָּוַהּ. אֲמַר לֵיהּ רַב אָשֵׁי לְאַמֵּימָר, וְהָא אֲנַן תְּנַן: אֲפִילּוּ רֹאשׁ בֵּית דִּין בְּכׇל מָקוֹם, שֶׁלֹּא יְהוּ הָעֵדִים הוֹלְכִין אֶלָּא לִמְקוֹם הַוַּעַד!

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**GEMARA:** The Gemara relates: There was **a certain woman who was called to judgment before Ameimar in Neharde’a. Ameimar** temporarily **went to Meḥoza, and she did not follow him** to be judged there. **He wrote a document of excommunication [*petiḥa*] concerning her,** for disobeying the court. **Rav Ashi said to Ameimar: Didn’t we learn** in the mishna: **Even** if **the head of the court** of seventy-one **is in any** other **place, the witnesses should go only to the place** where the Great Sanhedrin **gathers?** This shows that one must appear in the court itself, rather than follow the head of the court.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:5
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:5](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:5)

אֲמַר לֵיהּ: הָנֵי מִילֵּי לְעִנְיַן עֵדוּת הַחֹדֶשׁ, דְּאִם כֵּן נִמְצֵאתָ מַכְשִׁילָן לֶעָתִיד לָבֹא. אֲבָל הָכָא — ״עֶבֶד לֹוֶה לְאִישׁ מַלְוֶה״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
Ameimar **said to him: This applies only to testimony** to determine the start **of the month,** for which it is necessary to have a fixed place. The reason is **that if so,** if the witnesses come to court when the head of the court is absent and they will have to go to another place, **consequently you will be obstructing them for future** occasions, as they will consider it too much trouble and perhaps they will not come the next time. Therefore, the Sages said that these witnesses should go to the regular place where the Great Sanhedrin meets. **However, here,** with regard to monetary claims, the verse states: **“The borrower is servant to the lender”** (Proverbs 22:7), i.e., the defendant must act as is convenient to the claimant and the court.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:6
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:6](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:6)

תָּנוּ רַבָּנַן: אֵין כֹּהֲנִים רַשָּׁאִין לַעֲלוֹת בְּסַנְדְּלֵיהֶן לַדּוּכָן, וְזוֹ אֶחָד מִתֵּשַׁע תַּקָּנוֹת שֶׁהִתְקִין רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי. שֵׁית דְּהַאי פִּירְקָא, וַחֲדָא דְּפִירְקָא קַמָּא.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
§ **The Sages taught** in a *baraita*: **Priests are not allowed to ascend with their sandals to the platform** to recite the Priestly Blessing in the synagogue. **And this is one of the nine ordinances that Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted. Six** are mentioned **in this chapter:** Sounding the *shofar* on Shabbat in Yavne, taking the *lulav* all seven days, the prohibition against eating new grain the entire day of waving, accepting testimony to determine the start of the month all day, having the witnesses to the New Moon go to the place of meeting, and reciting the Priestly Blessing without sandals. **And one** is stated **in the first chapter,** that the witnesses to the New Moon may desecrate Shabbat only for the months of Tishrei and Nisan.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:7
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:7](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:7)

וְאִידַּךְ, דְּתַנְיָא: גֵּר שֶׁנִּתְגַּיֵּיר בַּזְּמַן הַזֶּה, צָרִיךְ שֶׁיַּפְרִישׁ רוֹבַע לְקִינּוֹ. אָמַר רַבִּי שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן אֶלְעָזָר: כְּבָר נִמְנָה עָלֶיהָ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן וּבִיטְּלָהּ, מִפְּנֵי הַתַּקָּלָה.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the other, as it is taught** in a *baraita*: **A convert who converts nowadays is required to set aside a quarter**-shekel **for his nest,** i.e., his pair of doves. By Torah law a convert must bring two burnt-offerings of birds, in addition to his immersion and circumcision. After the destruction, it was instituted that he must set aside the value of two young pigeons in anticipation of the rebuilding of the Temple. **Rabbi Shimon ben Elazar said: Rabban Yoḥanan** ben Zakkai **already** assembled a majority who **voted and rescinded** the ordinance **due to** a potential **mishap.** If a convert is obligated to set aside money, someone might unwittingly use this money, thereby violating the prohibition against misuse of consecrated property.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:8
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:8](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:8)

וְאִידַּךְ פְּלוּגְתָּא דְּרַב פָּפָּא וְרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק. רַב פָּפָּא אָמַר: כֶּרֶם רְבָעִי, רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And the other** ordinance, the ninth, **is** the subject of **a dispute between Rav Pappa and Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak. Rav Pappa said:** The ordinance concerned the fruit of a **fourth-year grapevine. Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:** It was with regard to **the strip of crimson** wool.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:9
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:9](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:9)

רַב פָּפָּא אָמַר: כֶּרֶם רְבָעִי, דְּתַנְיָא: כֶּרֶם רְבָעִי הָיָה עוֹלֶה לִירוּשָׁלַיִם מַהֲלַךְ יוֹם לְכׇל צַד, וְזוֹ הִיא תְּחוּמָהּ: אֵילַת מִן הַצָּפוֹן, וְעַקְרַבַּת מִן הַדָּרוֹם, לוֹד מִן הַמַּעֲרָב, וְיַרְדֵּן מִן הַמִּזְרָח.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara elaborates: **Rav Pappa said** that the ordinance is referring to the fruit of **a fourth-year grapevine, as it is taught** in a mishna (*Beitza* 5a): The fruit of **a fourth-year grapevine** has the status of second-tithe fruits, and therefore their owner **would ascend to Jerusalem** and eat the grapes there. If he is unable to do so, due to the distance involved or the weight of the load, he may redeem the fruits with money where he is, and later redeem that money for other fruits in Jerusalem. However, the Sages decreed that fruit from the environs of Jerusalem should not be redeemed; rather, the owners should bring the fruit itself to Jerusalem. The environs of Jerusalem for this purpose were defined as **a day’s walk in each direction. And this is its boundary: Eilat to the north, Akrabat to the south, Lod to the west, and the Jordan** river **to the east.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:10
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:10](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:10)

וְאָמַר עוּלָּא, וְאִיתֵּימָא רַבָּה בַּר עוּלָּא אָמַר רַבִּי יוֹחָנָן: מָה טַעַם — כְּדֵי לְעַטֵּר שׁוּקֵי יְרוּשָׁלַיִם בְּפֵירוֹת.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And Ulla said, and some say Rabba bar Ulla** said that **Rabbi Yoḥanan said:** For **what reason** did the Sages institute this ordinance, that one who lives near Jerusalem must bring his fruit there? **In order to adorn the markets of Jerusalem with fruit,** as this decree ensures that there is always an abundance of fruit in Jerusalem.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:11
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:11](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:11)

וְתַנְיָא: כֶּרֶם רְבָעִי הָיָה לוֹ לְרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר בְּמִזְרַח לוֹד בְּצַד כְּפַר טָבִי, וּבִיקֵּשׁ רַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר לְהַפְקִירוֹ לַעֲנִיִּים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And it was** further **taught** in a *baraita*: **Rabbi Eliezer** ben Hyrcanus, a student of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, **had a fourth-year grapevine** located between Lod and Jerusalem, **to the east** of **Lod alongside the village of Tavi.** The vine was within the boundaries of Jerusalem for the purpose of this *halakha*. Rabbi Eliezer could not bring the fruit to the Temple, as the Temple had been destroyed, **and Rabbi Eliezer sought to render** the fruit **ownerless** in favor **of the poor,** for whom it would be worth the effort to bring the fruit to Jerusalem.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:12
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:12](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:12)

אָמְרוּ לוֹ תַּלְמִידָיו: רַבִּי, כְּבָר נִמְנוּ חֲבֵרֶיךָ עָלָיו וְהִתִּירוּהוּ. מַאן חֲבֵרֶיךָ — רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**His students said to him:** Our **teacher,** there is no need to do so, as **your colleagues have already voted on** the matter **and permitted it,** as after the destruction of the Temple there is no need to adorn the markets of Jerusalem. The Gemara explains: **Who are: Your colleagues?** This is referring to **Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai.**


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:13
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:13](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:13)

רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק אָמַר: לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית, דְּתַנְיָא: בָּרִאשׁוֹנָה הָיוּ קוֹשְׁרִין לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית עַל פֶּתַח אוּלָם מִבַּחוּץ, הִלְבִּין — הָיוּ שְׂמֵחִין, לֹא הִלְבִּין — הָיוּ עֲצֵבִין, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹשְׁרִין אוֹתוֹ עַל פֶּתַח אוּלָם מִבִּפְנִים.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak said:** The ordinance was with regard to **the strip of crimson** wool used on Yom Kippur. **As it is taught** in a *baraita*: **At first they would tie a strip of crimson** wool **to the opening of the Entrance Hall** of the Temple **on the outside.** If, after the sacrificing of the offerings and the sending of the scapegoat, the strip **turned white,** the people **would rejoice,** as this indicated that their sins had been atoned for. If **it did not turn white they would be sad.** When the Sages saw that people were overly distressed on Yom Kippur, **they instituted that they should tie** the strip of crimson wool **to the opening of the Entrance Hall on the inside,** where only a few could enter to see it.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:14
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:14](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:14)

וַעֲדַיִין הָיוּ מְצִיצִין וְרוֹאִין, הִלְבִּין — הָיוּ שְׂמֵחִין, לֹא הִלְבִּין — הָיוּ עֲצֵבִין, הִתְקִינוּ שֶׁיְּהוּ קוֹשְׁרִין אוֹתוֹ חֶצְיוֹ בַּסֶּלַע וְחֶצְיוֹ בֵּין קַרְנָיו שֶׁל שָׂעִיר הַמִּשְׁתַּלֵּחַ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**But** people **would still peek and see** it, and once again, if **it turned white they would rejoice,** and if **it did not turn white they would be sad.** Therefore, the Sages **instituted that they should tie half of** the strip **to a rock** near the place where the one who sent the scapegoat stood **and half of it between the horns of the scapegoat,** so that the people would not know what happened to the strip until after the conclusion of Yom Kippur. This ordinance was instituted by Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:15
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:15](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:15)

רַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אָמַר כְּרַב פָּפָּא? אָמַר לָךְ: אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי, חֲבֵרָיו דְּרַבִּי אֱלִיעֶזֶר מִי הֲוָה? רַבּוֹ הֲוָה. וְאִידַּךְ? כֵּיוָן דְּתַלְמִידִים הֲווֹ — לָאו אוֹרַח אַרְעָא לְמֵימְרָא לֵיהּ לְרַבֵּיהּ ״רַבָּךְ״.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara explains this dispute: **What is the reason** that **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak did not state** his opinion with regard to the ordinance **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Pappa? He** could have **said to you: If it enters your mind** to say that **Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai** rescinded the ordinance of the fruit of fourth-year grapevines, **was he** one of **Rabbi Eliezer’s colleagues,** that the students would have referred to him in this manner? **He was his teacher.** Therefore, Rabbi Yoḥanan cannot be the one who instituted this ordinance. **And the other,** Rav Pappa, what would he respond to this? He would say that **since they were** Rabbi Eliezer’s **students** it is **not proper conduct** for one **to say to his teacher: Your teacher.** Therefore, they referred to Rabbi Yoḥanan as Rabbi Eliezer’s colleague.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:16
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:16](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:16)

וְרַב פָּפָּא מַאי טַעְמָא לָא אָמַר כְּרַב נַחְמָן בַּר יִצְחָק? אָמַר לָךְ: אִי סָלְקָא דַעְתָּךְ רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי — בִּימֵי רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי מִי הֲוָה לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית? וְהָתַנְיָא: כׇּל שְׁנוֹתָיו שֶׁל רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי מֵאָה וְעֶשְׂרִים שָׁנָה. אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה — עָסַק בִּפְרַקְמַטְיָא, אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה — לָמַד, אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה — לִימֵּד.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
The Gemara asks: **And what is the reason** that **Rav Pappa did not state** his opinion **in accordance with** the opinion of **Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak?** Rav Pappa could have **said to you: If it enters your mind** to say that this ordinance for Yom Kippur was instituted by **Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai, in the days of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai was there** in fact **a strip of crimson** wool? **Isn’t it taught** in a *baraita*: **All the years of Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai’s** life were **120 years: Forty years he was involved in business** so that he could achieve financial independence and study Torah, **forty years he studied** Torah, and **forty years he taught** Torah.


###### Rosh Hashanah 31b:17
[Rosh Hashanah 31b:17](https://torahapp.org/share/book/Rosh%20Hashanah/r/31b:17)

וְתַנְיָא: אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה קוֹדֶם שֶׁנֶּחֱרַב הַבַּיִת לֹא הָיָה לָשׁוֹן שֶׁל זְהוֹרִית מַלְבִּין אֶלָּא מַאֲדִים. וּתְנַן: מִשֶּׁחָרַב הַבַּיִת הִתְקִין רַבָּן יוֹחָנָן בֶּן זַכַּאי! וְאִידַּךְ: אוֹתָם אַרְבָּעִים שָׁנָה דְּלָמַד — תַּלְמִיד יוֹשֵׁב לִפְנֵי רַבּוֹ הֲוָה, וַאֲמַר מִילְּתָא וְאִסְתַּבַּר טַעְמֵיהּ.

**William Davidson Edition - English:**
**And it is taught** in a *baraita*: During **the forty years before the** Second **Temple was destroyed the strip of crimson** wool **would not turn white; rather,** it would **turn** a deeper shade of **red. And we learned** in the mishna: **When the Temple was destroyed Rabban Yoḥanan ben Zakkai instituted** his ordinances. This shows that Rabban Yoḥanan lived and taught Torah after the destruction. Therefore the ordinance of the crimson wool must have been made while Rabban Yoḥanan was still studying Torah, before he instituted any ordinances. The Gemara asks: **And the other** Sage, Rav Naḥman bar Yitzḥak, what would he answer? According to him, that ordinance was instituted during **those forty years that he studied** Torah. He **was** then **a student sitting before his teacher, and he said a matter,** i.e., he suggested this ordinance, **and his reasoning made sense** to the Sages,